The Impression That I Get
by Dog Stars Crush
Summary: A Lily and James story that takes place through out their years at Hogwarts. James and Lily are best friends until something happens that will change their lives forever...


The Impression that I Get  
  
Chapter One  
  
Hello, my name is Lily Evans and this is my story. I should tell you now that I am currently seventeen and the following is my journey from the time I was eleven until now. I suppose I ought a little about myself first, I am of medium height, with shoulder length red hair (that has yet to go a nice auburn) and emerald green eyes, my favorite feature. As I said my story begins when I'm eleven, it was the middle of summer Hols before I was to go off to an all girls secondary privet school (the thought of which still makes me cringe). The day had started out like any other day, with me waiting patiently outside the bathroom that I had the unfortunate pleasure of sharing with my older sister, Petunia, who was taking forever getting ready, or what she likes to call 'putting on her face'. Which if you ask me is quiet silly as she comes out looking the same as when she went in only one or two hours older, but that's Petunia for you.  
  
After finally getting into the bathroom I dressed, brushed my teeth, and combed my hair into two braided pigtails, I then headed down stairs to breakfast. It was the usual breakfast one would expect to find in the Evans household, eggs, sausage, toast, and of course orange juice, however something in the air felt different that mourning, it wasn't tell an owl clutching a letter came flying through the open kitchen window did I find out what it was. The letter was addressed to me in shinning green ink on a thick piece of parchment. With my parents watching on and Petunia scowling at the owl, for Petunia despised birds of all sort, I opened the envelope.  
  
Dear Ms. Evans,  
  
I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. The term begins on the first of September; if you wish to attend please send an owl back with your reply. The school train will be leaving on September 1 at 11:00am. You will find a list of all the things you will need this year attached to this letter, you can purchase everything you will need in Diagon Alley. Go to the Leaky Cauldron in London and show this letter to the man in charge, he will show you what to do.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Deputy Headmistress  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
I looked up at me parents smiling, it all made sense now. All the weird unexplainable stuff that happened around me, like the time Petunia ripped my paper dolls and I some how managed to turn her hair green, all that stuff happened because I was a witch!  
  
"Can we go mum? To Diagon Alley?" Asked her hopefully.  
  
"I don't know honey it all seems a little fishy to me." My mother replied.  
  
"I suppose we could go and see, if this Diagon Alley place is real. We have needed to go into London for a while now. We can stop by the Leaky Cauldron while we are there." Father said looking the letter over.  
  
"Oh, thank you!" I cried and grabbed a pen and paper, writing a letter saying I would be attending Hogwarts this fall and giving it to the owl, who promptly flew out the window.  
  
Two days later I found myself outside a very shabby looking building with a sign that read 'The Leaky Cauldron'. " Well this is it." I said to my mum who was accompanying me. Dad wanted to come to but he had to take Petunia shopping because she refused to be apart of this "madness".  
  
We went inside and showed the man my letter. He read it over and smiled.  
  
"Aw! Hogwarts! An excellent school, very good. You'll love it there young lady." He told me as he led us outside into a little courtyard. Taking out a wooden stick thing, which I assumed was his wand; he tapped on the third brick to the left, just above the trashcan. The wall opened up and I found myself standing at the entranceway to Diagon Alley. I grabbed my mother's hand and pulled her through the entranceway, she was still gabbing wide- eyed, mouth open at the entrance.  
  
"Its real mum! Its real!" I whispered to her. "Where do you reckon we should go first?"  
  
"Go to Gringotts! You'll be needing to get wizarding money!" Called the man who had opened the passageway for us.  
  
"Thank you!" I called back leading my mum over to the big white marble building that said Gringotts.  
  
We reached the doors, quickly reading the writing upon them before going inside where we were met by the sight of hundreds, of what had to be, Goblins working behind counters. I quickly realized that Gringotts must be run by not wizards but instead goblins. We timidly walked up to one.  
  
"Excuse me." Ms. Evans said to the strange looking creature.  
  
"What do you want?" The Goblin asked my mother gruffly.  
  
"We would like to exchange some money into wizarding money." Replied Ms. Evans uncertainly.  
  
"Very well, how much do you need?"  
  
"Er. about a hundred pounds worth ought to do it I suppose" My mum said taking out the money we were going to be using to buy all my new school things and handing it to the goblin. He then handed her a heap of strange looking coins, quickly explaining to us what each one them were while we nodded along. The big gold ones, he said, were Galleons. Seventeen Sickles, the silver ones, to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts, the little bronze ones, to a Sickle.  
  
"I presume you'll be wanting to open an account for her too?" He said indicating to me.  
  
"Yes, that might be wise. Lets do that then."  
  
An hour later we left, I now had my own wizarding bank account or vault, as well as a pocket full of gold. We then went to go buy the remainder of the things on my list. First stop was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, where I would be getting my Hogwarts school robes. The women there quickly took my measurements then disappeared into the back room. A minute later she emerged with a pile of black robes, I purchased them and continued on my way to Flourish and Blotts to get my schoolbooks. Finally after going to numerous stores and purchasing everything on my list I was able to go to the store I was most looking forward to, Ollivander's wand shop. There was already a boy there when I walked in; he was just paying for his wand. He looked rather cute, for a boy, tall, with messy black hair and shinning blue eyes like sapphires behind wire-rimmed glasses. I smiled at him as he left the store.  
  
"Hello! Hello! Hogwarts?" The man asked peering at me.  
  
"Er. yes. Um. I need my wand." I answered nervously, unsure of myself.  
  
"Yes, yes of course, right this way. I need to get your measurements. Which is your wand hand?" He asked hurriedly bustling about the store.  
  
"Um. my right arm, I think."  
  
"Very good. hmm. lets see here. Aw! Yes try this, Maple. Unicorn hair. 6 and a half inches." He handed me the wand and I (foolishly) gave it a wave. Nothing happened much to my embarrassment.  
  
"Not to worry." He drawled " Nobody gets it on the first try. The wand chooses the wizard you know. Here give this a try, Holly. Dragon heartstring. 11 inches."  
  
No sooner had he handed it to me then he was taking it away and handing me a new one. This happened five times before:  
  
"Here Willow. Unicorn hair. Ten and a quarter inches. Good for charms." I took the wand from him and immediately warmth spread up my arm and red sparks shot out from its tip. I beamed proudly; I had finally found my wand the most important item on my list, and the most important magical item any witch or wizard can own. With it I felt that I was a real witch.  
  
After purchasing my newly acquired wand and biding good-bye to Mr. Ollivander I made my way to the Ice Cream Parlor where my mother was waiting for me with the rest of my school things. I proudly showed her my new wand.  
  
"Mum?" I asked eyeing the Eeylops Owl Emporium across the way. "Do you think I might buy an owl? As an early Christmas present perhaps, that way I could write home as often as I can manage. The letter did say I was allowed a pet, owl, toad, or cat."  
  
"I think that's a wonderful idea Lily, why don't you run over and pick out the one you like while I order our lunch." She told me smiling happily.  
  
I bought my owl, a little tawny that I decided to call Wickkett, and after a small lunch with my mum we left Diagon Alley and met up with Dad and Petunia. On the way home I excitedly told Petunia and Dad about all the interestingly strange stuff I saw and I showed them my new owl. Petunia stuck her nose up at it all, especially Wickkett, I knew she would though and it didn't even phase me when she declared it was all nonsense, not even Petunia's foulness could spoil my mood.  
  
I got home and put my stuff away in my trunk and went to bed, exhausted. The day's events had worn me out. I couldn't help thinking that in two weeks I'd be on my way to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. Much better then that snooty stuck up all girls school I was suppose to go to. Smiling I rolled over and slept.  
  
*~ *~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hey! My name is Potter, James Potter and this is my story. I'm seventeen, tall dark and handsome, ok so not so much. I am tall, with messy black hair that never lays right and what girls like to call 'sapphire blue eyes framed with wire rimmed glasses.' My story begins the day I got my Hogwarts acceptance letter. I always knew I was a wizard; I come from one of the oldest pure blood families in England. I grew up in the wizarding world so I knew from the time I was born that I'd be going to Hogwarts, just as the rest of my family had. So when the owl arrived the summer before I was due to go off to Hogwarts I wasn't the least bit surprised. I couldn't wait to leave!  
  
I decided to ask my Dad if we could go to Diagon Alley that day so I could finally get my wand (then I wouldn't have to "borrow" my dads any more). We got ready and then used Floo Powder to transport there. I got some money from my Gringotts vault then ran off towards Ollivander's wand shop. However I got distracted on the way there by Quality Quidditch Supplies, they had a new broom in and I had to stop and examine it. I currently owned one of the best brooms in the world; it used to be the top broom until the broom in the store's window came out. Finally after a good hour in Quality Quidditch Supplies I made my way into Ollivander's. I greeted Mr. Ollivander with a cheery hello, eagerly anticipating the moment I've been looking forward to for eleven long years.  
  
"Aw! Mr. Potter, pleasure to see you, here for your wand I suppose." He smiled walking out from amongst the shelves of boxes.  
  
"Yes sir! I can't wait to get my wand." I grinned animatedly.  
  
"I think I have the perfect thing for you, your wand arm?" Mr. Ollivander asked.  
  
"Right."  
  
"Hmm. here give this a whirl. Pine. 8 inches. Phoenix feather."  
  
Nothing happened. "How about this, Oak. Unicorn hair. 10 and a half inches." I waved it around but nothing happened.  
  
"Aw! Yes I know! Mahogany. 11 inches. Phoenix feather. Pliable. Good for transfiguration." I grabbed hold of the wand and I felt my arm begin to tingle with warmth, I gave it a quick wave and red sparks shot out.  
  
"Very good Mr. Potter, very good indeed."  
  
I was purchasing my wand when I heard the bell ring as the door opened. As I was turning to leave I was met with the sight of one of the prettiest girls I had ever seen. She had red hair and emerald eyes; she smiled at me as I went out, unable of a coherent thought. Dazed I walked out of the store and went to buy the rest of the things on my list.  
  
When I got home I barred myself in my room and began practicing hexes, curses, and any other spell or charm worth bothering with (basically any thing I could use as a prank or revenge). As I haven't started school I couldn't be punished for using magic outside of school. I had read that particular law thoroughly, for there was always a loophole. After having perfected the Rhyming hex, which would cause its victim to speak only in rhyme for an hour, I made my way downstairs to test it on my annoying little cousin who was visiting for a week. An extremely annoying little prat if you ask me.  
  
"Arthur!" I called innocently.  
  
"Do you want to play death eaters and Aurors with me? Do you? Do you? It'll be fun! I'll be the Auror and you be the death eater, ok? Ok James?" He rushed to me babbling excitedly.  
  
"No Arthur, I do not want to play Death Eaters and Aurors with you." I smiled. "I have a much better idea. Lets play a game of spell and go seek. You have to count to ten while I put a spell on you, then you have to find me so I can remove the spell."  
  
"Ok James! Ok!" Arthur shouted annoyingly loud, thrilled because I had agreed to play with him.  
  
"Ok now close your eyes and count to ten." The naïve little brat didn't know what was coming to him. By the time he had gotten to three I had already hexed him. I ran off and told mum I was going to go fly around on my broom, leaving my cousin to speak in rhyme for the next hour. That'll teach him for losing my new quaffle. Don't get me wrong I love my cousin he's just so annoying!  
  
The days before I was to go off to Hogwarts pasted swiftly. Finally September first arrived. I woke up early that mourning, 9:30, and finished packing, before rushing out the door into the car and off to Kings Cross Station. We arrived at 10:40, twenty minutes before the train was due to leave, which was much earlier then I had anticipated. I grabbed a trolley and loaded my trunk and owl onto it. We reached the entrance to plat form nine and three quarters and as I was about to pass through I spotted the girl I had seen in Ollivander's looking around puzzled. Gathering my courage I walked up to her and smiled, or maybe grinned politely.  
  
"Excuse me? Do you need help?" I asked as pleasantly as I could.  
  
"Er." She said looking at me then to my trolley and over to my parents (who were horrible at dressing like muggles) then seeing my owl she smiled and nodded. "I don't know how I'm suppose to get to platform nine and three quarters." She replied mournfully looking between platforms nine and ten.  
  
"Its simple. All you need to do is walk through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Look my dad will show you. Dad! Show her how." We watched as my dad disappeared through the barrier. "See? Simple. My names James Potter by the way, what's yours?  
  
"Lily Evans, and thank you for your help." Lily answered politely.  
  
"Are you a first year too then?" I asked as we walked towards the barrier.  
  
"Yes." She said simply looking rather nervous as we passed through the barrier to the other side. "Well thank you for your help I better go find a compartment." She walked off towards the end of the train and disappeared inside.  
  
I stared after her for a moment before running off to find Sirius who wrote and told me he'd save a compartment. Sirius Black is my best friend, we met at a ministry picnic when we were five and have been friends ever since. I put my stuff away and found Sirius terrorizing or "flirting" with Lily and another girl I didn't know.  
  
"Sirius, leave the poor girls alone, I don't think they've ever seen anything as hideous as you." I laughed jokingly.  
  
"James! You've forgotten to keep that paper bag over your head. I keep telling you if you don't wear it the girls will run screaming." We laughed; this year was defiantly going to be great.  
  
"Still trying to save girls who you consider to be damsels in distress, James?" Lily smiled at me.  
  
"Aw, but of course my fair Lilith, I must rescue all those in need, especially those as fair and beautiful as yourself." I grinned dramatically doing a sweeping bow. She blushed and grinned.  
  
"Well why don't we all share a compartment since we're all here?" Lily said gesturing to the empty compartment on her right.  
  
"Good idea. Sirius?" I said.  
  
We made our way into the compartment and sat down. Me and Sirius on one side, Lily (across from me) and her friend on the other side.  
  
"I suppose we should introduce ourselves, I'm James Potter, and this is my friend Sirius Black." I told them.  
  
"Arabella Figg." The girl with honey brown eyes and slightly wavy brown hair next to Lily said.  
  
"Lily Evans." Lily said to Arabella and Sirius. "Are you first years too?"  
  
"Yep." Was the common reply.  
  
"What house are you hoping to be in?" Sirius asked. "Me and James are going to be in Gryffindor for sure."  
  
"Well I read in Hogwarts, A History that Gryffindor was a good house but I really don't mind which house I'm in, as long as its not Slytherin, I didn't like the sound of that House." Lily replied calmly.  
  
"I'll probably be in Gryffindor, both my parents were and my sister." Arabella said.  
  
It looked as though we would all end up in the same house, I hoped Lily would be in the same house as me any way. We spent the rest of the train ride talking and playing games of exploding snap. Lily and I were becoming very good friends; she was really an amazing person. 


End file.
